Guides
Blazing Onion in Gig Harbor may appear to be just another churn-‘em-out sit-down fast-food joint focused on burgers with crazy toppings. But take a walk on the lighter side and you'll find a worthy plate of fish tacos. Think generous pieces of hot, grilled cod come cradled in warm corn-and-flour-blend
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Though I do not, there are those who believe only certain items should be eaten in the morning. That list probably includes heavy meats cooked in oil, butter-laden or sugary breads, piles of potatoes and fruit as a garnish. I'm guessing asparagus is not on that list. Thankfully Sorci's Italian
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Any restaurant that combines half a pound of beef, apple wood-smoked bacon and a Macrina Bakery brioche bun deserves to have its burgers taken very seriously. At Maxwell's Speakeasy, this dream burger exists. The Walker Burger, named after the building the restaurant anchors, is grilled then topped with white cheddar,
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Hot dogs are awesome. Of all the tube-shaped meat products out there, hot dogs are the king. And right now in Tacoma we are living in a golden age of hot dogs. We have gourmet dogs and street dogs and gourmet street dogs and veggie dogs and plain old dogs
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Flying Tomato Italian Grill in Graham makes pillowy, soft flatbread and cuts it into pieces for easy sharing. Ramekins hold a variety of tasty items that can be spread, drizzled and smeared on the hot bread to create a customized flavor explosion. Oh alright, I'm completely biased; if there's roasted
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When I think of sardines, I think of oily fish in an odd mustard or tomato sauce packed in a can with a peel-back metal lid. There is no can involved at Morso, Gig Harbor's newest wine bar. From a menu of small plate, or tapas-style, dishes crafted to complement
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Meconi's is an extremely popular lunchtime sandwich shop, and for good reason. The Philly cheesesteak features sliced steak, grilled green peppers, onions and mushrooms, topped with mozzarella on a hoagie that's been lightly fried on the grill. Stacked, rich in beef flavors and hot to the touch, hands down, this
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Sage's Brunch House's marvelous migas are a medley of red and ancho peppers, garlic, beans, corn tortillas, onions, eggs and Portuguese sausage garnished with pasilla pepper cream sauce, cilantro pesto and flour tortillas on the side. The portions are generous, but you won't have trouble finishing them. The savory combination
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I love prawns (little mud bugs of the sea that they are) skewered, grilled, roasted, baked, hot or cold. Marzano's Restaurant on Garfield Street uses a generous number of sautéed black tiger prawns and plump sea scallops in the farfalle di marine, a large-portion seafood pasta dish. A simmered sauce
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Goat is as Mexican as it gets, especially inside a taco created on the tough streets of Pacific Avenue near East Tacoma. Vuelve A La Vida, Tacoma's most authentic Mexican restaurant, serves a marinated goat taco that puts the olé in your day. The birria (meat stew) tastes mellow and
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In the short rib market, I like Korean style best, and no one does that better than Lakewood's Palace Korean. These babies come out center-of-the-sun hot and crisp, with a silky, sugary sauce that blends nicely with the beef and fat hanging off the bones. I love Palace Korean's side
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The Crown Bar ranks as my favorite hip spot in the South Sound because it delivers on intimacy, an excellent street foods menu and cold beer. I like many items on the menu, but when I want perfection, I dive into a plate of their fried oysters. With just the
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These are no factory-made, mass-produced, tasteless, bland tamales. The masa is fresh; the tamale dough is perfectly steamed and as fresh as it can be. You know the tamale was just prepared, feet from your table, and delivered right to your delighted taste buds. The tamales have a variety of
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With many taco trucks to choose from in the South Sound area, it's difficult to narrow down which one is best. But, when approached from a single dish perspective, Anjou's on 56th Street in Tacoma stands four wheels above the rest. Anjou's tongue taco literally makes mine water. Served on
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Nothing warms the insides better on a cold, damp Northwest evening than beef in a heavy gravy, and Brix 25 has that going on across the Narrow's in Gig Harbor with their boeuf bourguignon. Though chefs have come and gone at this spot, this menu item remains because of its
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Remember back in February 2005 when the so-called Virgin Mary grilled cheese sandwich sold on eBay for $28,000 (even though the image looked more like a brunette Mae West)? Just slightly less valuable but undoubtedly more tasty is Over The Moon Café's croutes de fromage, which rings in at $9.
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Luscious, thick-cut, peppered bacon almost overflows on this sandwich, with fresh tomatoes slices, lettuce and delicious bread rounding out the deal. The sandwich must be several inches thick and is just oozing with BLT goodness. The herb mayo is slathered on the bread, and certainly adds a punch to the
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I might like Penang curry because it has a sunny disposition, a creamy, yellow color that's more hopeful than the greens, reds and browns of the other curry types. But, mostly, I adore how Longbeach blends chili peppers, lemongrass, garlic, cumin and more into a savory, heated, creamy sauce that
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Hot Pot is a large, divided metal bowl with spicy oil on one side and mild broth on the other that sits on a burner inset or on top of a table. Plates stacked with raw meats and veggies arrive at the table for a do-it-yourself, fondue-like meal. Tacoma Szechuan
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The pancit at Cebu is the best I've had outside of the stuff made by Filipino mamas back home in Hawaii. The noodles are fresh, abundant and served with meat and vegetables. The lime served on top gives the dish a tangy and refreshing flavor. At Cebu the service is